Tulsa Golden Hurricane football
Encyclopedia
The University of Tulsa
's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA
. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship
. The football team was coached by Todd Graham
until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh
.. Graham replaced Steve Kragthorpe
, who led the team to three bowl game
s in four seasons before accepting the head coaching job at the University of Louisville
after the 2006-7 season. Graham, a former Tulsa defensive coordinator, returned to the team after serving as the head coach at Rice University
for one season. Tulsa has the smallest undergraduate enrollment of all schools that participate in NCAA Bowl Sub-Division football
.
Tulsa defeated University of Central Florida
44-27 in Conference USA
's inaugural championship game on December 3, 2005. The Tulsa Golden Hurricane also defeated the Fresno State
Bulldogs 31-24 on December 31, 2005, at the Autozone
Liberty Bowl
in Memphis, Tennessee
. This win brought their first bowl victory in 15 years. In 2006, the team went to the Armed Forces Bowl
, but lost to the Utah Utes
, 25-13. On October 15, 2006, Tulsa earned its first ranking in the BCS
, breaking in at No. 25. This marked TU's first national ranking since the end of the 1991 season, when it was ranked No. 21 in both the AP
and the USA Today
polls. At the end of the 2010 season (January 11th, 2011 Poll) Tulsa was ranked 24th in the AP
.
to Tulsa
was completed in 1907. It was during this time that the first football team would represent the University. The team would go 1-0, defeating the Bacone Indians
. Both the exact date and score of the game were not recorded. Over the next twelve years, Kendall would play 17 games, going 8-8-1, but not fielding a team for four years (1903, 1904, 1906, 1907). The most common opponent was Arkansas
, who met with Tulsa four times.
, who coached the 2-3 1908 squad, would then return to coach the team in 1914. His first two years back would both be successful, a 6-2 record in 1914 and 6-1-1 the following year, but the undefeated 1916 squad would bring national recognition to Tulsa. The 1916 Hurricane outscored its opponents 566-40, including an 81-0 defeat of Cumberland (TN)
and a 117-0 drubbing of Missouri–Rolla
. There were rumors of playing Notre Dame
for the Mid-America Championship, but the two teams never met.
. The new coach was known as "Close the Gates of Mercy" Schmidt because of his efforts to run up the score
on inferior teams. Under Schmidt's three-year tenure, Kendall defeated Oklahoma Baptist
152-0, St. Gregory
121-0, and NE Oklahoma
151-0, as well as a 92-0 defeat of East Central Oklahoma
and 10 other victories by 60+ points. The 1919 season gave Kendall their first defeat of the Oklahoma Sooners
, but a 7-7 tie with Oklahoma A&M would prevent a perfect season. Ultimately, Schmidt's style would cost Tulsa their coach, as he attracted the attention of University of Arkansas
boosters with a 63-7 defeat of the Razorbacks in 1919. Schmidt would sign with and coach the Hogs from 1922-1928.
. Archer also gave the newly-named University of Tulsa
an athletic identity. Previously, the team had been referred to as "Orange and Black", "Kendallites", "Presbyterians", "Tigers", and "Tulsans". Archer put a vote to the team to replace Golden Tornadoes, which belonged to Georgia Tech
. The vote resulted in "Golden Hurricane", which it has remained ever since. The coach would not have the staying power of his nickname, however, and was ousted after three years, when he was replaced by Gus Henderson
. TU gave Henderson a large contract to leave the mighty Trojans
of USC
and coach the Golden Hurricane.
, was completed in 1930. Tulsa won the first game in the stadium, 26-6 over Arkansas. Tulsa also scored on the first offensive play in the stadium, after Arkansas fumbled the opening kickoff.
Henderson brought the University of Tulsa into the Missouri Valley Conference
for the 1935 season
.
, who was coaching at a high school in Greenville
, Texas. Under Frnka, Tulsa roared through the 1941 season, finishing 7-2 and receiving their first bowl invitation. It was the help of Glenn Dobbs
, considered the best player in Tulsa history, that Frnka could take the Hurricane to new heights. Tulsa defeated Texas Tech
in the Sun Bowl
because of a Glenn Dobbs pass to Sax Judd with little time remaining, the only score of the game. Tulsa improved in 1942, going 10-0, including wins against Oklahoma (23-0), Oklahoma A&M (34-6), and Arkansas (40-7). This netted the Golden Hurricane an invitation to the 1943 Sugar Bowl
against Tennessee. Tulsa lost the game and argument for national champion on a late Volunteer touchdown. Tulsa was instead ranked fourth to end the year, the highest in school history.
to Howard Twilley
, both of whom achieved lengthy careers in professional football; Rhome polled 2nd in the 1964 Heisman Trophy; Rhome & Twilley are in the College Football Hall of Fame
. The 1952 Missouri Valley Conference team with its 8-2-1 record climbed to 11th in the AP Poll & was invited to the Gator Bowl, then 1 of only 5 post-season bowl games, although not one of the 4 major ones. Steve Largent
was another talented Tulsa receiver who graduated to a long NFL career (1976-1989 Seattle), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
because of numerous enduring records as a receiver, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1994–2002, and then ran as one of the two major candidates for Governor of Oklahoma
in 2002. The Golden Hurricane won 25 Missouri Valley conference football titles the most of any school that competed in that league.
Tulsa was the only team to play in five consecutive New Year's Day Bowl games. The Golden Hurricane also was handed one of the worst defeats in college football history when they were beaten in regular season play by Houston Cougars
100-6 on November 23, 1968. Dr. Phil McGraw
played for TU at the time.
On November 2, 1985, Tulsa became the first NCAA football team to get two 200-yard rushing performances from two running backs in the same game. Gordon Brown rushed for 214 yards, and Steve Gage
rushed for 206 in a 42-26 win over Wichita State.
Over the next four years, Tulsa had three head coaches. Eight-year veteran John Cooper left for Arizona State after the 1984 season, and was succeeded by Don Morton
, who in turn left after only two years for Wisconsin. George Henshaw
led the team in 1987, but left after only one year for the NFL. David Rader took over in 1988.
Rader led Tulsa to a school-record 10 wins in 1991, but it turned out to be the school's last hurrah for more than a decade. According to Rader, school officials dropped health/PE as a major early in the 1990s; at one point, 56 percent of the players were health/PE majors. Combined with an aging Skelly Stadium, this made it difficult to attract competitive players. Rader never won more than four games in a season again, and was fired midway through the 1999 season.
in 1996, becoming that 16-team league's easternmost member at the time. However, they only had one winning record in nine years of WAC play.
. This was the largest margin of victory ever recorded in any bowl game. Tulsa also became the first team in NCAA history to have a 5,000-yard passer (Paul Smith
), a 1,000-yard rusher (Tarrion Adams) and three 1,000-yard receivers (Brennan Marion, Trae Johnson and Charles Clay) in a single season. Additionally, Smith became the NCAA record-holder for most consecutive games in one season (14) with over 300 yards passing.
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
's Golden Hurricane football team represents Tulsa in Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
. Tulsa is currently coached by first-year head coach Bill Blankenship
Bill Blankenship
2011 SeasonBill Blankenship's first season as Tulsa's head coach started out rough. Tulsa had 3 top-10 opponents in the first 4 weeks of the season.September:* Tulsa started out with a game at Oklahoma in Norman and lost 47-17....
. The football team was coached by Todd Graham
Todd Graham
Todd Graham is the head football coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was previously the head coach at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma.-Playing career:...
until he accepted the head coaching job at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Panthers football
Pittsburgh Panthers football is the intercollegiate football team of the University of Pittsburgh, often referred to as "Pitt", located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Traditionally the most popular sport at the university, Pitt football has played at the highest level of American college football...
.. Graham replaced Steve Kragthorpe
Steve Kragthorpe
Steve Kragthorpe is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Louisiana State University Tigers football team. He was head coach at Louisville from 2007 to 2009, and for Tulsa from 2003 through 2006.- Early career :Kragthorpe was born in...
, who led the team to three bowl game
Bowl game
In North America, a bowl game is commonly considered to refer to one of a number of post-season college football games. Prior to 2002, bowl game statistics were not included in players' career totals and the games were mostly considered to be exhibition games involving a payout to participating...
s in four seasons before accepting the head coaching job at the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
after the 2006-7 season. Graham, a former Tulsa defensive coordinator, returned to the team after serving as the head coach at Rice University
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
for one season. Tulsa has the smallest undergraduate enrollment of all schools that participate in NCAA Bowl Sub-Division football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
.
Tulsa defeated University of Central Florida
University of Central Florida
The University of Central Florida, commonly referred to as UCF, is a metropolitan public research university located in Orlando, Florida, United States...
44-27 in Conference USA
Conference USA
Conference USA, officially abbreviated C-USA, is a college athletic conference whose member institutions are located within the Southern United States. The conference participates in the NCAA's Division I in all sports...
's inaugural championship game on December 3, 2005. The Tulsa Golden Hurricane also defeated the Fresno State
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
Bulldogs 31-24 on December 31, 2005, at the Autozone
AutoZone
AutoZone is a retailer and distributor of aftermarket automotive parts and accessories. based in Memphis, Tennessee.-History:Originally a division of Memphis-based wholesale grocer Malone & Hyde, the company went under the name Auto Shack...
Liberty Bowl
Liberty Bowl
The Liberty Bowl is an annual U.S. American college football bowl game played in December of each year from 1959 to 2007 and in January in 2009 and 2010. The Liberty Bowl was sponsored by AXA Financial and was known as the AXA Liberty Bowl from 1997 to 2003...
in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. This win brought their first bowl victory in 15 years. In 2006, the team went to the Armed Forces Bowl
Armed Forces Bowl
The Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl is an annual postseason college football bowl game that was inaugurated in 2003 as the Fort Worth Bowl under corporate sponsorship of PlainsCapital Bank. In 2005, the game was without corporate sponsorship...
, but lost to the Utah Utes
Utah Utes
The Utah Utes are the athletics teams of the University of Utah. They are named after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. The men's basketball team is known as the "Runnin' Utes"; the women's basketball team, formerly known as the "Lady Utes," now prefers to be referred to as the "Utes"; and the...
, 25-13. On October 15, 2006, Tulsa earned its first ranking in the BCS
Bowl Championship Series
The Bowl Championship Series is a selection system that creates five bowl match-ups involving ten of the top ranked teams in the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , including an opportunity for the top two to compete in the BCS National Championship Game.The BCS relies on a combination of...
, breaking in at No. 25. This marked TU's first national ranking since the end of the 1991 season, when it was ranked No. 21 in both the AP
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
and the USA Today
Coaches Poll
The USA Today Coaches' Poll is the current name for a weekly ranking of the top 25 NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football and Division I college basketball teams....
polls. At the end of the 2010 season (January 11th, 2011 Poll) Tulsa was ranked 24th in the AP
AP Poll
The Associated Press College Poll refers to weekly rankings of the top 25 NCAA teams in one of three Division I college sports: football, men's basketball and women's basketball. The rankings are compiled by polling sportswriters across the nation...
.
Early Years, 1895-1907
Tulsa was known as Henry Kendall College until the move from MuskogeeMuskogee, Oklahoma
Muskogee is a city in Muskogee County, Oklahoma, United States. It is the county seat of Muskogee County, and home to Bacone College. The population was 38,310 at the 2000 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in Oklahoma....
to Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
was completed in 1907. It was during this time that the first football team would represent the University. The team would go 1-0, defeating the Bacone Indians
Bacone College
Bacone College is a private four-year liberal arts college in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Founded in 1880 as the Indian University by Almon C. Bacone, Bacone College is the oldest continuously operated institution of higher education in Oklahoma...
. Both the exact date and score of the game were not recorded. Over the next twelve years, Kendall would play 17 games, going 8-8-1, but not fielding a team for four years (1903, 1904, 1906, 1907). The most common opponent was Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks football
The Arkansas Razorbacks football program is a college football team that represents the University of Arkansas. The team is a member of the Southeastern Conference's Western Division, which is in Division I's Football Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
, who met with Tulsa four times.
Move to Tulsa, 1907
Now established in Tulsa, the football team began to grow. In 1913, Kendall went 5-2 under George Evans. Sam P. McBirneySam P. McBirney
Sam P. McBirney was an Irish-American football coach and banker. He was the head football coach for the Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team in 1908 and from 1914 to 1916. His undefeated 1916 team outscored opponents 566 to 40 to become the highest scoring college football team during the 1916...
, who coached the 2-3 1908 squad, would then return to coach the team in 1914. His first two years back would both be successful, a 6-2 record in 1914 and 6-1-1 the following year, but the undefeated 1916 squad would bring national recognition to Tulsa. The 1916 Hurricane outscored its opponents 566-40, including an 81-0 defeat of Cumberland (TN)
Cumberland University
Cumberland University is a private university in Lebanon, Tennessee, United States. It was founded in 1842, though the current campus buildings were constructed between 1892 and 1896.-History:...
and a 117-0 drubbing of Missouri–Rolla
Missouri University of Science and Technology
Missouri University of Science and Technology is an institution of higher learning located in Rolla, Missouri, United States, and part of the University of Missouri System...
. There were rumors of playing Notre Dame
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football
Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team is the football team of the University of Notre Dame. The team is currently coached by Brian Kelly.Notre Dame competes as an Independent at the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision level, and is a founding member of the Bowl Championship Series coalition. It is an...
for the Mid-America Championship, but the two teams never met.
Francis "Close the Gates of Mercy" Schmidt, 1919-1921
Kendall College would return to form after World War I, to go 8-0-1 under Francis SchmidtFrancis Schmidt
Francis Albert Schmidt was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at the University of Tulsa , the University of Arkansas , Texas Christian University , Ohio State University , and the University of Idaho , compiling a...
. The new coach was known as "Close the Gates of Mercy" Schmidt because of his efforts to run up the score
Running up the score
In North American sports, "running up the score" occurs when a team continues to play in such a way as to score additional points after the outcome of the game is no longer in question and the team is assured of winning...
on inferior teams. Under Schmidt's three-year tenure, Kendall defeated Oklahoma Baptist
Oklahoma Baptist University
Oklahoma Baptist University is a co-educational Christian liberal arts university located in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and owned by the Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma. Established in 1910, OBU is ranked No.2 among baccalaureate colleges in the western region in the 2010 U.S...
152-0, St. Gregory
St. Gregory's University
St. Gregory's University is a private, co-educational Catholic liberal arts university. It is one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It has its main campus in Shawnee, and an additional campus in Tulsa.-History:St...
121-0, and NE Oklahoma
Northeastern State University
Northeastern State University is a public university with its main campus located in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, United States, at the foot of the Ozark Mountains. Northeastern's home, Tahlequah, is also the capital of the Cherokee nation of Oklahoma...
151-0, as well as a 92-0 defeat of East Central Oklahoma
East Central University
East Central University is a four year public university in Ada, Oklahoma, located in the south central region of the state. The university also has courses available in McAlester, Shawnee, Ardmore, and Durant....
and 10 other victories by 60+ points. The 1919 season gave Kendall their first defeat of the Oklahoma Sooners
Oklahoma Sooners
The University of Oklahoma features 19 varsity sports teams. Both men's and women's teams are called the Sooners, a nickname given to the early participants in the land rushes which initially opened the Oklahoma Indian Territory to non-native settlement. They participate in the NCAA's Division I-A,...
, but a 7-7 tie with Oklahoma A&M would prevent a perfect season. Ultimately, Schmidt's style would cost Tulsa their coach, as he attracted the attention of University of Arkansas
Arkansas Razorbacks
The Razorbacks, also known as the Hogs, are the names of college sports teams at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. The term Arkansas Razorbacks properly applies to any of the sports teams at the university. The Razorbacks take their name from the feral pig of the same name...
boosters with a 63-7 defeat of the Razorbacks in 1919. Schmidt would sign with and coach the Hogs from 1922-1928.
Howard Archer and "The Golden Hurricane"
Howard Archer would leave his mark on the program in two ways. Tulsa did not miss a beat after Schmidt's departure, and went 8-0 in 1922. This included a 13-6 defeat of Schmidt-coached Arkansas in FayettevilleFayetteville, Arkansas
Fayetteville is the county seat of Washington County, and the third largest city in Arkansas. The city is centrally located within the county and is home to the University of Arkansas. Fayetteville is also deep in the Boston Mountains, a subset of The Ozarks...
. Archer also gave the newly-named University of Tulsa
University of Tulsa
The University of Tulsa is a private university awarding bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, USA. It is currently ranked 75th among doctoral degree granting universities in the nation by US News and World Report and is listed as one of the "Best 366 Colleges" by...
an athletic identity. Previously, the team had been referred to as "Orange and Black", "Kendallites", "Presbyterians", "Tigers", and "Tulsans". Archer put a vote to the team to replace Golden Tornadoes, which belonged to Georgia Tech
Georgia Institute of Technology
The Georgia Institute of Technology is a public research university in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
. The vote resulted in "Golden Hurricane", which it has remained ever since. The coach would not have the staying power of his nickname, however, and was ousted after three years, when he was replaced by Gus Henderson
Gus Henderson
Elmer Clinton "Gloomy Gus" Henderson was an American football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Southern California , the University of Tulsa , and Occidental College , compiling a career college football record of 126–42–7...
. TU gave Henderson a large contract to leave the mighty Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
of USC
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
and coach the Golden Hurricane.
"Gloomy Gus" Henderson and Skelly Stadium
The Hurricane had great success on and off the field under Henderson, going 62-17-3 in his first nine years, winning four Oklahoma Intercollegiate Conference championships. Henderson also played an integral part in building a home for his football team. The team played in McNulty Park, a 90-yard baseball field where the teams had to drive the length of the field before bringing out the ball to the ten yard line and put the ball in the endzone again. This facility shortcoming meant that officials had to make a judgment call whether the player could've scored or not. Many fights resulted from what other schools thought was favoritism by the officials on these calls. Skelly Field, named for oil tycoon William SkellyWilliam Skelly
William Grove Skelly , often known as Bill or William G. Skelly, was an entrepreneur who made a fortune in the oil business. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, he moved to Kansas in 1916, then to Tulsa, Oklahoma in 1919, where he founded Skelly Oil Company. By 1923, his company was one of the strongest...
, was completed in 1930. Tulsa won the first game in the stadium, 26-6 over Arkansas. Tulsa also scored on the first offensive play in the stadium, after Arkansas fumbled the opening kickoff.
Henderson brought the University of Tulsa into the Missouri Valley Conference
Missouri Valley Conference
The Missouri Valley Conference is a college athletic conference whose members are located in the midwestern United States...
for the 1935 season
1935 college football season
The 1935 college football season was the last one before the Associated Press writers' poll was used in selecting the national champion. The Dickinson System, consisting of the calculations of University of Illinois Professor Frank Dickinson, crowned Southern Methodist University as the best in...
.
Frnka takes Tulsa bowling
Tulsa signed their thirteenth head coach, Henry FrnkaHenry Frnka
-External links:*...
, who was coaching at a high school in Greenville
Greenville, Texas
Greenville is the county seat, and the largest city, of Hunt County, Texas, in the United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,557....
, Texas. Under Frnka, Tulsa roared through the 1941 season, finishing 7-2 and receiving their first bowl invitation. It was the help of Glenn Dobbs
Glenn Dobbs
Glenn Dobbs was an American Football player in the All-America Football Conference. He played college football at the University of Tulsa before playing in the All-America Football Conference's Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946 and 1947, and the Los Angeles Dons from 1948 through 1949...
, considered the best player in Tulsa history, that Frnka could take the Hurricane to new heights. Tulsa defeated Texas Tech
Texas Tech Red Raiders football
Texas Tech Red Raiders football program is a college football team that represents Texas Tech University . The team competes, as a member of the Big 12 Conference, which is a Division I Bowl Subdivision of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in the Sun Bowl
Sun Bowl
The Sun Bowl is an annual U.S. college football bowl game that is usually played at the end of December in El Paso, Texas. The Sun Bowl, along with the Sugar Bowl and the Orange Bowl are the second-oldest bowl games in the country, behind the Rose Bowl...
because of a Glenn Dobbs pass to Sax Judd with little time remaining, the only score of the game. Tulsa improved in 1942, going 10-0, including wins against Oklahoma (23-0), Oklahoma A&M (34-6), and Arkansas (40-7). This netted the Golden Hurricane an invitation to the 1943 Sugar Bowl
1943 Sugar Bowl
The 1943 edition to the Sugar Bowl featured the fourth ranked Tulsa Golden Hurricane, and the seventh ranked Tennessee Volunteers.Tulsa took a 7–0 lead on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Glenn Dobbs to Cal Purdin in the second quarter. Tennessee scored on a three-yard run by Gold, but the extra...
against Tennessee. Tulsa lost the game and argument for national champion on a late Volunteer touchdown. Tulsa was instead ranked fourth to end the year, the highest in school history.
Missouri Valley Conference (1935-1985)
Notable in Tulsa football tradition are the Missouri Valley Conference teams of 1964 & 1965 which compiled records of 9-2 & 8-3 & played in the Bluebonnet Bowl of both years; the passing attack famously featured Jerry RhomeJerry Rhome
Jerry Byron Rhome is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League. He played for the Dallas Cowboys , the Cleveland Browns , the Houston Oilers , and the Los Angeles Rams...
to Howard Twilley
Howard Twilley
Galena Park Senior High SchoolHoward James Twilley, Galena Park Senior High SchoolHoward James Twilley, Galena Park Senior High SchoolHoward James Twilley, (born December 25, 1943 in Houston, Texas, was the 1965 Heisman Trophy runner-up at the University of Tulsa and a former American professional...
, both of whom achieved lengthy careers in professional football; Rhome polled 2nd in the 1964 Heisman Trophy; Rhome & Twilley are in the College Football Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
The College Football Hall of Fame is a hall of fame and museum devoted to college football. Located in South Bend, Indiana, it is connected to a convention center and situated in the city's renovated downtown district, two miles south of the University of Notre Dame campus. It is slated to move...
. The 1952 Missouri Valley Conference team with its 8-2-1 record climbed to 11th in the AP Poll & was invited to the Gator Bowl, then 1 of only 5 post-season bowl games, although not one of the 4 major ones. Steve Largent
Steve Largent
Steven Michael "Steve" Largent is a retired American football player, enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and a former U.S. Congressman, having served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Oklahoma from 1994 until 2002...
was another talented Tulsa receiver who graduated to a long NFL career (1976-1989 Seattle), was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame
Pro Football Hall of Fame
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is the hall of fame of professional football in the United States with an emphasis on the National Football League . It opened in Canton, Ohio, on September 7, 1963, with 17 charter inductees...
because of numerous enduring records as a receiver, served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1994–2002, and then ran as one of the two major candidates for Governor of Oklahoma
Governor of Oklahoma
The governor of the state of Oklahoma is the head of state for the state of Oklahoma, United States. Under the Oklahoma Constitution, the governor is also the head of government, serving as the chief executive of the Oklahoma executive branch, of the government of Oklahoma...
in 2002. The Golden Hurricane won 25 Missouri Valley conference football titles the most of any school that competed in that league.
Tulsa was the only team to play in five consecutive New Year's Day Bowl games. The Golden Hurricane also was handed one of the worst defeats in college football history when they were beaten in regular season play by Houston Cougars
Houston Cougars football
The Houston Cougars football program is an NCAA Division I FBS football team that represents the University of Houston. The team is commonly referred to as "Houston" or "UH" . The UH football program is currently a member of the Conference USA intercollegiate athletic conference, and is coached by...
100-6 on November 23, 1968. Dr. Phil McGraw
Phil McGraw
Phillip Calvin McGraw best known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality, author, former psychologist, and the host of the television show Dr. Phil, which debuted in 2002...
played for TU at the time.
On November 2, 1985, Tulsa became the first NCAA football team to get two 200-yard rushing performances from two running backs in the same game. Gordon Brown rushed for 214 yards, and Steve Gage
Steve Gage
Steven Glen Gage is a former American football safety in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins from 1987 to 1988. He played college football at the University of Tulsa and was drafted in the sixth round of the 1987 NFL Draft....
rushed for 206 in a 42-26 win over Wichita State.
Independent (1986-1995)
The Missouri Valley dropped football after the 1985 season. Tulsa, by this time the MVC's only Division I-A member in football, became an independent.Over the next four years, Tulsa had three head coaches. Eight-year veteran John Cooper left for Arizona State after the 1984 season, and was succeeded by Don Morton
Don Morton
Don Morton is a former American football player and coach and currently a software executive. He served as the head football coach at North Dakota State University , the University of Tulsa , and the University of Wisconsin–Madison , compiling a career college football record of 76–51...
, who in turn left after only two years for Wisconsin. George Henshaw
George Henshaw
George Henshaw was the head football coach at Tulsa in 1987. He is currently the running backs coach for the New Orleans Saints. He had also served as the tight ends coach for the Tennessee Titans. He also served as an offensive coordinator for the Denver Broncos and New York Giants.From 1970 to...
led the team in 1987, but left after only one year for the NFL. David Rader took over in 1988.
Rader led Tulsa to a school-record 10 wins in 1991, but it turned out to be the school's last hurrah for more than a decade. According to Rader, school officials dropped health/PE as a major early in the 1990s; at one point, 56 percent of the players were health/PE majors. Combined with an aging Skelly Stadium, this made it difficult to attract competitive players. Rader never won more than four games in a season again, and was fired midway through the 1999 season.
Western Athletic Conference (1996-2004)
Tulsa joined the Western Athletic ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
in 1996, becoming that 16-team league's easternmost member at the time. However, they only had one winning record in nine years of WAC play.
Conference USA (2005-present)
Tulsa finished the 2007 season with a 10-4 season, concluding with a 63-7 win over Bowling Green in the 2008 GMAC Bowl2008 GMAC Bowl
The 2008 GMAC Bowl was an American college football bowl game. It was part of the 2007 NCAA Division I FBS football season and was the 9th annual playing of the game...
. This was the largest margin of victory ever recorded in any bowl game. Tulsa also became the first team in NCAA history to have a 5,000-yard passer (Paul Smith
Paul Smith (quarterback)
Paul Smith is an American professional gridiron football quarterback. He was released before training camp by the Montreal Alouettes in the Canadian Football League. He played college football at Tulsa.-High school career:...
), a 1,000-yard rusher (Tarrion Adams) and three 1,000-yard receivers (Brennan Marion, Trae Johnson and Charles Clay) in a single season. Additionally, Smith became the NCAA record-holder for most consecutive games in one season (14) with over 300 yards passing.
Coaching history
| Name | Seasons | Overall | Overall % | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Blankenship Bill Blankenship 2011 SeasonBill Blankenship's first season as Tulsa's head coach started out rough. Tulsa had 3 top-10 opponents in the first 4 weeks of the season.September:* Tulsa started out with a game at Oklahoma in Norman and lost 47-17.... |
2011–Present | 8–4 | .667 | ||||
| Todd Graham Todd Graham Todd Graham is the head football coach of the University of Pittsburgh Panthers in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was previously the head coach at the University of Tulsa in Tulsa, Oklahoma.-Playing career:... |
2007–2010 | 35–17 | .673 | ||||
| Steve Kragthorpe Steve Kragthorpe Steve Kragthorpe is an American football coach and former player. He is currently the quarterbacks coach for the Louisiana State University Tigers football team. He was head coach at Louisville from 2007 to 2009, and for Tulsa from 2003 through 2006.- Early career :Kragthorpe was born in... |
2003–2006 | 29–22 | .569 | ||||
| Keith Burns | 2000–2002 | 7–28 | .200 | ||||
| Pat Henderson | 1999 | 1–3 | .250 | ||||
| Dave Rader | 1988–1999 | 49–80–1 | .376 | ||||
| George Henshaw | 1987 | 3-8 | .273 | ||||
| Don Morton Don Morton Don Morton is a former American football player and coach and currently a software executive. He served as the head football coach at North Dakota State University , the University of Tulsa , and the University of Wisconsin–Madison , compiling a career college football record of 76–51... |
1985–1986 | 13–9 | .591 | ||||
| John Cooper | 1977–1984 | 57–31–1 | .648 | ||||
| F. A. Dry F. A. Dry F. A. Dry is a former American football coach. He was the head football coach for Tulsa University from 1972 to 1976. During his tenure there, he compiled a 31-18-1 record. He also served as the head football coach for Texas Christian University, where he compiled a 12-51-3 record.-References:... |
1972–1976 | 31–18–1 | .633 | ||||
| Claude Gibson Claude (Hoot) Gibson Claude "Hoot" Gibson is a former American football player and coach in the United States. A defensive back and kick returner, he played collegiately at North Carolina State University, and professionally in the American Football League for the San Diego Chargers and the Oakland Raiders.-Playing... |
1970–1972 | 11–16 | .407 | ||||
| Vince Carillot | 1969 | 1–9 | .100 | ||||
| Glenn Dobbs Glenn Dobbs Glenn Dobbs was an American Football player in the All-America Football Conference. He played college football at the University of Tulsa before playing in the All-America Football Conference's Brooklyn Dodgers in 1946 and 1947, and the Los Angeles Dons from 1948 through 1949... |
1961–1968 | 45–37 | .549 | ||||
| Bobby Dobbs Bobby Dobbs Robert Lee “Bobby” Dobbs was an American football fullback and coach.-Early years:After graduating from high school in Frederick, Oklahoma in 1941, Bobby entered University of Tulsa to play football for coach Henry Frnka. A fullback, Dobbs played in Tulsa's first ever bowl game; the 1943 Sugar Bowl... |
1955–1960 | 30–28–2 | .517 | ||||
| Bernie Witucki | 1953–1954 | 3–18 | .143 | ||||
| J. O. Brothers Buddy Brothers John O. "Buddy" Brothers was an American college football coach. He coached the Tulsa Golden Hurricane football team at the University of Tulsa from 1946 to 1952 and compiled a 45–25–4 record and 0.635 winning percentage.-Coaching career:Brothers attended Texas Tech University, where he played on... |
1946–1952 | 45–25–4 | .635 | ||||
| Henry Frnka Henry Frnka -External links:*... |
1941–1945 | 40–9–1 | .816 | ||||
| Chet Benefiel | 1939–1940 | 11–8–1 | .589 | ||||
| Vic Hurt | 1936–1938 | 15–9–5 | .625 | ||||
| Elmer Henderson Gus Henderson Elmer Clinton "Gloomy Gus" Henderson was an American football coach. He served as the head coach at the University of Southern California , the University of Tulsa , and Occidental College , compiling a career college football record of 126–42–7... |
1925–1935 | 70–25–5 | .737 | ||||
| Howard Acher | 1922–1924 | 12–11–2 | .522 | ||||
| Francis Schmidt Francis Schmidt Francis Albert Schmidt was an American football player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at the University of Tulsa , the University of Arkansas , Texas Christian University , Ohio State University , and the University of Idaho , compiling a... |
1919–1921 | 24–3–2 | .889 | ||||
| Arthur Smith | 1918 | 1–2 | .333 | ||||
| Hal Medford | 1917 | 0–8–1 | .000 | ||||
| George Evans | 1913 | 5–2 | .714 | ||||
| Harvey Allen | 1912 | 1–3 | .250 | ||||
| Sam McBirney | 1908, 1914–1916 | 25–6–1 | .806 | ||||
| Fred Taylor | 1898–1899 | 1–1–1 | .500 | ||||
| Norman Leard | 1895–1897 | 5–2 | .714 | ||||
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